Guinness reviewed

Even after ignoring thousands of before-the-record years, one revised list of recorded hottest years places 1934 at number one, followed by 1998, 1921, 1931, 2006, 1999, 1953, 1990, 1938 and 1939.

With more scientifically-sound evidence though, the Guinness World Records 2010 states: “The Dutch are the world’s tallest citizens, with the average male measuring 184cm (6ft) tall.”

Furthermore: “Studies show that by 2012, Dutch men will average 186cm (6ft 1in) and Dutch women 172cm (5ft 7in).” I blame my Oma’s soups, early nights, and Holland’s penchant for extra-creamy dairy products. Or cheese-centric towns like Edam and Gouda.

And speaking of tall Europeans, Sean Connery (6ft 2ish) and Roger Moore (6ft 1ish) remain equal first for “most appearances as James Bond”.

But for completely desperate lovers of titillatingly trivia (aka “most milk extracted from a cow”), Germany’s Gunther Wahl bravely squeezed 2 litres.